Improvement in harvesters of grain and grass



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. WEEKS, OF OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT |N HARVESTERS oF GRAIN AND GRASS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 1,735, datedSeptember 26, 1854.

To all 'zc/"tcm it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. NVEEKS, of Oyster Bay, in the county ofQueens and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Reaping and Mowing Machines; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part ot' thisspecification, in which- Figure lis a plan or top view of my improvedmachine. Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is an under View ofone of the fingers. Fig. 4 is a side view of one of the fingers, thesickle-bar and front cross-bar of the frame being cut transversely. Fig.5 is a front view of four fingers and a portion ofthe sickle.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate corresponding parts' in theseveral figures.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in reapingand mowing machines; and it consists, first, in the employment or use ofa track-clearer of spiral form placed at the sideot' the machine,opposite to the side where the gearing is placed,

and operating as will be hereinafter shown and described.

Second. My invention consists in having each tooth ofthe sickle workthrough two-fingers, in combination with a peculiar manner of formingthe teeth-viz.,having the cuttingedges formed with alternate oppositebevels, as will be hereinafter described..

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represen ts a frame constructed in the usual manner and supported bytwo wheels, B B', B being the driving-wheel, and having cogs upon itsinner side, (see Fig. 1,) said cogs gearing into a pinion, O, which bymeans of gearing D E communicate motion to a crankshaft, F, to thecrank-pulley G of which the sickle H isl connected by a rod, I. (SeeFig. l.)

J is the front cross-barot' the frame, to which bar lingers a areattached in the usual manner. The lingers a are slotted, and the teeth bof the sickle H work through the slots of the fingers, as is usual withmany reapers, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) c representing the slots. At theunder edges of the slots ofthe fingers are notches d, (see Figs. 3, 4,and 5,) the notches being on each side ofthe several ngers. The teethv bof the sickle are triangular or sawshaped, as shown in Fig. l, and the'crankpulley G, to which the connecting-rod I is attached, is ot'sufficient diameter to allow each tooth to work through two fingers.Every alternate tooth of the sickle is so beveled on its edges as tomake. its cutting-edges pass over the upper surfaces of the slots c inthe fingers, (see Fig. 5,) c representing the teeth withtheircuttingfedges so formed. The intervening or remaining teeth,j`,have their edges beveled in a reverse direction, so that theircutting-edges will pass over the lower surfaces of the slots c.

K, Figs. 1 and 2, is an upright secured to the frame A. On the upperpart ot said uprighta lever, L, is secured by a pin,g, said pin beingthe fulcrum. The outer end of the lever L is attached by a link, h, tothe inner end ot' the tongue or pole M of the machine.

N is a curved standard, which is attached to the frame A, and passesthrough a slot in the lever L. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) This standard N hasholest' made through it, through which holes a pin,j, passes. (Shownclearly in Fig. 1.)

O is the track-clearer, placed at the end of the machine, as shown inFigfl. This trackclearer is of spiral form, and may be formed of an ironor steel rod. On the outer end ot the track-clearer there is a pulley,P, around which a band, k, passes, said band also passing around apulley, Q, attached to the inner side of the wheel B. (See Fig. l.)

R is the bearing in which the track-clearer works. The trackclearer, itwill be seen by referring to Fig. 1, is placed directly back of thesickle, so that the cut grass at that end of the frame will come incontact with it.

As the machine is drawn along the trackclearer O will rotate ,in thedirection indicated by the arrow (see Fig. l) and throw or convey thegrass toward the center of' the frame A, and a space will be left freefrom grass for the driving-wheel B to run in upon the return motion ofthe machine. The sickleH may be set the desired distance from thesurface ot' the ground by regulating the lever L. (See Fig. 2.) When theinner end of the lever is raised the front part of the frame A, and con-`outward toward the ends of the fingers While sequently the sickle H,will be depressed, and the reverse is obtained by depressing the nnerend of the lever. (See dotted lines, Fig. 2.) The lever Lmay be securedin the desired position by the pin j.

The cutting-edges of the teeth b of the sickle beingq formed asdescribed, and each tooth Working through two fingers, prevents thesickle from being cloggedor choked, because one portion of the teethWork over the upper surfaces of the slots c and the other .portion overthe under surfaces, and consequently the slots will be kept perfectlyfree from all ob-d structions. y

The notches cl at the sides of the fingers prevent the grass or grainfrom being forced the teeth b are acting,` upon it, and insure theperfect cutting of the grass.

I do not claim separately having the sickleteeth Working through twongers, for this has been previously done.

Having thus described my invention, what I. claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The track-clearer O, constructed in the form of a spiral or screw,and arranged and operating as herein shown and described.

2. Having each tooth of the sickle Work through two of the fingers, incombination with the beveling ofthe cutting-edges of every alternatetooth, so that While one tooth shall have its cutting-edges on its upperface that next to it shall have its cutting-edges on its lower face, asherein shown and described.

JOHN J. WEEKS.

Witnesses:

ALLEN HAUXHURST, WILLIAM ELY.

